In the latest issue of aerospace America, Thomas S. Momiyama, a U.S. Senior Executive Service has this to say in the editorial on building a better engineer
Information technology is not a magic bullet. Computers may have replaced slide rules, but nothing will replace providing tomorrow’s aerospace engineers with the opportunity to hone their skills in
basic technologies and to learn from others with true hands-on experience.
This resonates with my view. Importance of these view has already been noted here in this blog when i emphasized that computer software’s are just tools, means to the goal, cars for the journey to the destination.
Hand calculations, internal understanding and having the knowledge to relate small things to the big picture are the abilities that AeSI or any engineer should have and cultivate
Presently i am assigned a FEM software tool, so what is the most important thing for me in it. The most important thing from it is not how best i can mesh or nor is how best i can represent the physical model to the fem counterpart. But the most important part is how i understand and interpret the results it gives. That where my expertise, experience and knowledge will be useful. Yes well formed mesh and good representation of the model are necessary and are vital for accurate results but its the understanding and the interpretation of the results that’s far more valuable.
So as you learn the tools, whatever it might be catia, solidworks, ansys, nastran, gambit, hypermesh or UG etc. Just remember that those are just tools in the hands of an engineer, they aid you and not the other way round.
What are your views on this please do replay in comments, what you think of this tools and what tool are you working on for this year?
